Flexible pocket receptacle



arch 9, 1948. G. BARTON 2,437,587

FLEXIBLE POCKET RECEPTACLE Filed Oct. 16, 1942 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 iNVENTOR 550M: .BA/PTOA ATTOR N EYS March 9, 1948. BARTON FLEXIBLE POCKET RECEPTACLE Filed Oct. 16, 1942 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 RMMS o TRE m wfiw w G A F Patented Mar. 9, i948 FLEXLE POCKET RECEPTACLE George Barton, Racine, Wis, assignor to Buxton, Incorporated, Springfield, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 16, 1942, Serial No. 462,211

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to flexible pocket receptacles, and more particularly to billfolds, wallets, and the like.

The principal object of the invention resides in the manner of holding or securing the parts in operative relation with a minimum or complete absence of stitching and in such a way that the points of attachment or" the parts are minimized and so placed that the attaching points are subjected to a minimum of strain in the use of the receptacle.

A further object is to secure the above advantages in a construction having all the needed flexibility and the desirable degree of relative movement of the parts for best operation of the receptacle, even when stitching is employed in the essential attachment of the parts.

A further object is to provide a construction by which the needed attachments may be made 'in the course of manufacture, more easily and economically.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simplified construction which can, if desired, be made up from a single piece of leather or similar flexible material,

Other and further objects will be apparent from the following specification and claims.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank from which one form of billfold embodying the invention may be made;

Figs. 2 and 3 are views showing successive stages in positioning the billfold walls and associated elements of the blank of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an elevational View of the completed billfold made from the blank of 1;

Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views, substantially on lines 5-5 and 66, respectively, of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. l but showing a modified form of blank;

Fig. 8 is an elevational view of the billfold made from the blank of Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 is a detail view of an alternative manner of attaching the parts together.

Referring to the drawings, ii) designates generally, the blank of flexible material, preferably leather, from which the billfold is constructed. This blank comprises a rear wall forming member H; a pair of wall members or end sections i2 attached to the lower edge of the rear wall member; a second pair of wall members or end sections i 3 attached respectively to the lower edges of sections l2 opposite those edges of the latter which are attached to the lower ed e of between the rear wall the rear wall member H; a stay or bridging member It attached to the lower edges of the second pair of sections; and a pair of end closure flaps 15 attached to the ends of the rear wall member H, each of the flaps l5 being provided on its upper edge with a securing tab or extension 16.

The various members and sections forming the blank may be integrally united, that is the blank may be formed from a single piece ocf leather or the like, or one or more of the members or sections may be formed in separate pieces and stitched or otherwise connected or associated together in any suitable manner, to enable the parts to perform their function in the completed billfold.

After the formation out the blank 50 the end sections l2 and i3 are folded upwardly so that end sections i2 overlie the rear wall section H and sections 13 extend beyond the upper edge of the outer wall member as shown in Fig. 2. End flaps l5 are then folded onto the end sections'l2 as also shown in Fig. 2, After these folding operations the tabs or extensions l5 overlie the 'end sections 83 as shown in Fig. 2 and the tabs l6 are stitched, as at I1, to the sections l3. It will be evident that since the partially folded blank of Fig, 2 is flat and the tabs l5 and sections l3 fully exposed, the stitching I1 is accomplished with a minimum of trouble or manipulation. Instead of stitching, the tabs or extensions 56 may be cemented or stapled or otherwise secured to the sections iii. If it is desired to avoid stitching, cementingor similar methods of securing the tabs It to sections 13, some suitable form of tongue and slot connection may be used such as shown in Fig. 9, where slots are formed in sections l3 as at I8 in which the tabs I6 are engaged, as shown in the latter figure.

The bridging section it is next folded beneath sections l3 as shown in Fig. 3 and the billfold is completed by folding or tucking the sections i3 and the bridging member as a unit inwardly ii and sections l2 as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6. This latter folding operation positions the stitches i? or other attachment inside of the billfold.

It will be seen that by my invention the billfold may be held in assembled relation by only two points of attachment and that these points of attachment are hidden so that they do not detract from the appearance of the billfold, and are positioned where they are not subject to Wear or strain in the normal use of the billfold. It

' which the successive folds take place, may be scored to facilitate folding.

While the order of folding steps previously described has advantages in the ease of handling and is particularly well adapted to machine manufacture, the advantages of the structure as such will of course be secured regardless of the order in which the folds are made, Where a tongue and slot connection, such as shown in Fig. 9, is employed, it may be found desirable to roll the front wall of the billfold up by first folding member I4 onto the end sections I3 about line 23 then folding the sections I3 onto sections I2 about lines 24, thus placing member I4 between the sections I3 and I2; folding the thus assembled sections I2, I3, and I4 onto the rear wall II about lines 2I, and finally folding the end members I5 onto the sections I2, folding the tabs I6 downwardly between the outer wall II and sections I3 and inserting them in the slots I8.

The present invention may be employed in the construction of various sizes, shapes and types of billfolds or wallets. For example, in Fig. 7 is shown a blank for constructing a zipper type of billfold. The blank of Fig. 7 may be substantially similar to that of Fig. 1 except that a panel 30 is connected to the upper edge of rear wall member II. Panel 30 is provided with a slot 3I closed by a conventional slide fastener or zipper 32. The blank of Fig. 7 may be folded up as previously described with reference to the blank of Fig. 1, panel 30, as the final step being folded into the compartment between rear wall II and the composite front wall, formed by sections I2, I3 and member I4, to complete the billfold as shown inFig. 8.

Various other modifications may be made in the number, form, and relation of the front wall elements, the essential feature of the invention residing in the manner of holding or securin the parts in operative relation.

The connection of the end flaps to the inner front wall member by means of the tabs IB permits a larger and better distribution of relative movement of the several front wall members than is provided by the previous form of attachment heretofore employed. It will be noted that the outer sections I2 are connected only to the bottom of the rear wall and to the upper edges of inner members I3, which latter members are free at their lower and end edges. Upon excessive loading of the bill compartment wall members I3 are free to move upwardly, thus relieving tension on tabs I6 when, in response to the thickness of the load of bills, the end flaps I5 move outwardly, thus avoiding pinching of the ends of the bills. The contents of the bill compartment are thus provided with ample space to adjust themselves when the billfold is folded about its center line I 9. Also, the entire assembly of parts is permitted an advantageous degree of general relative movement through the inherent flexibility of the tabs I6. The freedom of movement of the parts is somewhat greater when a slot and tongue connection such as shown in Fig. 9 is employed, but ample flexibility is secured when stitching, stapling, or other relatively rigid connection is used. Stitching is in many ways the cheapest method of securing the parts of a billfold together, but its use has hitherto entailed the sacrifice of needed flexibility between the parts. By my invention ample flexibility is obtained when stitching is employed. Furthermore, whatever form of attachment is used, the attachment can be made while the parts to be attached are fully exposed and easily accessible.

I claim:

1. A flexible pocket receptacle comprising a rear wall and a front wall providing an elongated bill compartment between them, the front wall including spaced bottom closing members extending from the bottom edge of the rear wall adjacent the ends thereof, and end closing members extending one from each end of the rear wall, the adjacent end and bottom closing members being folded into superposed relation on the rear wall, said members when so folded having overlapping portions extending beyond the upper edge of the front wall, means connecting the overlapped extending portions together, said portions being freely folded downwardly into the bill compartment of the receptacle, with said connections being positioned adjacent the closed ends of the billfold.

2. A flexible pocket receptacle comprising a rear wall and a front wall providing an elongated bill compartment between them, the front wall including spaced bottom closing members extending from the bottom edge of the rear wall adjacent the ends thereof and folded upwardly onto the rear wall, and end closing members extending one from each end of the rear wall and folded in superposed relation on the adjacent bottom closing member, said superposed bottom and end closing members having portions extending, when the members are so folded, in overlapping relation beyond the upper edge of the front wall, means connecting the said extending overlapped portions of the end and bottom closin members together, said portions and their connections being freely folded downwardly in the bill compartment of the receptacle,

3. A flexible pocket receptacle comprising a rear wall and a front wall providing an elongated bill compartment between them, the front wall including spaced bottom closing members, end closing members and a bridging member for the bottom closing members, the bottom closing members extending from the bottom edge of the rear wall adjacent the ends thereof and being folded upwardly onto the rear wall, the end closing members extending one from each end of the rear wall and being folded in superposed relation on the adjacent bottom closing member, said superposed bottom and end closing members having portions extending in overlapping relation beyond the upper edge of the front wall, means connecting the said extending overlapped portions of the end and bottom walls together, said portions and their connections being freely folded downwardly into the bill compartment of the receptacle, with the ends of said bridging member being positioned between said downwardly folded parts and the bottom closing members.

4. A flexible pocket receptacle comprising a rear wall and a front wall providing an elongated -bill compartment between them, the front wall including a pair of spaced bottom closing members extending from the bottom edge of the rear wall and folded upwardly onto the rear wall, inner front wall and sections connected to the bottom closing members, a bridging member connected to the end sections, a pair of end closing members connected one to each end of the rear wall and folded in superposed relation on the adjacent bottom closing member, the end closing members having portions extending from their upper edges in overlapping relation with that inner front wall end section carried by the adjacent bottom closing member, and means connecting said portions to the adjacent inner front wall end section, said bridging member, inner front wall end sections and portions being freely folded into the bill compartment of the receptacle, with the end portions of the bridging member being positioned between the inner front wall end sections and the bottom closing members.

5. A flexible pocket receptacle comprising a rear wall and a front wall providing an elongated bill compartment between them, the front wall including spaced bottom closing members extending from the bottom edge of the rear wall adjacent the ends thereof, and end closing members extending one from each end of the rear wall, the adjacent end and bottom closing members being folded into superposed relation on the back wall, said members when so folded having overlapping portions extending beyond the upper edge of the front wall, means connecting said overlapped extending portions together, said portions being freely folded downwardly into the bill compartment of the receptacle, with said connecting means being positioned adjacent the closed ends of the billfold, said portions and their connecting means when so positioned constituting means adequate to hold the said walls and members in receptacle forming relation in the absence of other connecting means between said members.

6. A flexible pocket receptacle comprising a rear wall and a front wall providing an elongated 6 bill compartment between them, the front wall including spaced bottom closing members, end closing members and a bridging member for the bottom members, the bottom closing members extending from the bottom edge of the rear wall adjacent the ends thereof and being folded upwardly onto the rear wall, the end closing members extending one from each end of the rear wall and being folded in superposed relation on the adjacent bottom closing member, said superposed bottom and end closing members having portions extending in overlapping relation beyond the upper edge of the front wall, means connecting the said extending overlapped portions of the end and bottom walls together, said portions and their connecting means being freely folded downwardly into the bill compartment of the receptacle, with the ends of said bridging member being positioned between said downwardly folded parts and the bottom closing members, said portions and their connecting means when so positioned constituting means adequate to hold the said walls and members in receptacle forming relation in the absence of other connecting means between said members.

GEORGE BARTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,782,003 Epstein Nov. 18, 1930 1,960,294 Wege May 29, 1934 2,011,844 Buxton Aug. 20, 1935 2,119,122 v St. Thomas et a1. May 31, 1938 2,291,259 Sherwood July 28, 1942 

